One of the ways I love learning about writers is through listening to them. Occasionally, I’ve been fortunate enough to attend an author signing at a bookstore, a lecture at a college, or a book talk at a coffee house. However, lately I’ve been able to connect with other writers from the comfort of my own home through podcasts.

Books start in different ways, for me at least. Sometimes it’s a single situation or scene, and I have to build both up to it and down after it. Sometimes it’s an exchange of dialogue that pops into my head and I have to know who these people are and how they came to the point where this exchange happens. Sometimes it’s an image, a still or in video, that sparks something. Sometimes it’s hearing something said; I once got an entire book out of a conversation between a mother and her young son in the produce aisle of a grocery store.

But the one thing all of them have in common is music. Songs had always inspired stories, but it was somewhat belatedly in my career that I discovered that a “soundtrack” helped my mind set. And when I began writing more than one book at a time, that soundtrack became essential; it was the main thing that could shift my mind from one world to another. In the case of Whiskey River Rockstar, I already knew my heroine, Zee Mahan, from the previous books. But Jamie Templeton was a bit more elusive, and took some searching.

Travel is my biggest inspiration for writing. My favorite element of telling a story is setting, so the places I write about are largely places that are special to me. As a reader, I also love discovering fresh places through an author’s work. The journey to a new location is always fun, and I’m fortunate to be able to do that for readers in FINDING TRUE NORTH.

Anyone else out there a Pinterest nut? I use it mostly to pin tons of inspiration for my books. My new release, Saving the Sheriff, is included in this pile of inspirational photos. I thought it might be fun to share some of my favorite piece of inspiration with you…

Tell us about Redeeming the Texas Rancher and how you came up with Colby and Dakota’s story.

Colby and Dakota’s story came out of a scene I wrote in the prior Forever Texan series, Loving the Texas Lawman, where Dakota (Day) was bidding on my hometown sheriff, Jack Walker in a charity auction. Day’s attempts to make Colby jealous at the auction go awry and next we see the two of them, rancher boss (Colby) and wrangler (Day) are arguing at Jack’s engagement party. It’s a pretty heated exchange and the fact that their mothers are best friends and Colby and Day pretty much grew up together, only adds to the forbidden love story. When we first meet Day in Redeeming the Texas Rancher, she has pretty much given up on having a relationship with Colby.

Thank you to the wonderful ladies at Tule for the invite to blog. The best place for me to begin is to introduce myself, and explain why I write the books I do. I won’t rehash my official ‘bio’ from the website. I am a Texan. Many people will understand all there is to know by those four simple words. For those who might not, allow me to elaborate.

So for A Country Love Song, I wanted it to be a bit of a tribute to how music teachers endure those awkward beginning years with their students and instruct and cajole and inspire and push through the challenges

Growing up, music was a constant in my life—the radio always played as we rode in the car, my parents sang and listened to records (the original vinyl) in our house, my older siblings introduced me to the latest and greatest singers and bands, and I sang in chorus for nearly a decade.

Now, one of my husband’s and my favorite things to do is go to concerts, especially to see all the performers we didn’t get to see ages ago. Along the way, we’ve discovered a long list of new favorites to hear and see. Continue reading →

We officially have a trilogy! Ben and Sabine’s story makes three. Forever, Alabama is the third installment of my Alabama series with Southern Born books. They are full-length, stand-alone romantic women’s fiction titles.

I came to Tule as an unpublished writer, thrilled to be given the opportunity by this team to publish my debut novel. It has been a pure pleasure to be on the verge of releasing my third story here. Much gratitude to then entire Tule family for helping me along with such grace and professional care. Continue reading →

I am so excited to be working with everyone here at Tule; the energy is contagious! I’ve been at this a few years now, and it’s great to work with such enthusiastic people. I also need to thank my friends Eve Gaddy and Kathy Garbera for allowing me into the fictional world they created; I’m a Texan by heart if not by geography, the Hill Country is my favorite place in Texas, and I’m enjoying playing there. And what’s not to love about a place called Whiskey River? Continue reading →

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